Heinrich Marx, the father of Karl Marx, bought the small mansard roof building in Trier´s Simeonstrasse in 1819 [1] when Karl was only one year old. The later socialist grew up here with his parents and five siblings and moved out aged 17 after his graduation from secondary school (Gymnasium). Yet as a grown up man, he returned to Trier several times to visit his relatives.
Compared to today, little has changed in the historical city center of Trier: The main characteristics of the old town around the market place have been preserved and looked more or less the same back in the days when Karl Marx lived there.[2] In particular the neighbourhood of the house to the Trier's most famous landmark, the Roman city gate Porta Nigra, is still impressive. In most parts unchanged to this day, it is likely that Karl Marx took the very same route to school every day that tourists can walk today.[3]
The house in Simeonstraße had a lasting impact on Karl Marx, especially since he had been educated here in home schooling until the age of 12.[4]
As an adult, Karl Marx returned to live with his family in this house during his visits several times. For example in 1841 after his doctoral studies in Berlin, Marx travelled back to Trier. The main reason for his return home was to be close to his long-term fiancée Jenny von Westphalen. Also in the following year, 1842, Karl Marx spent some months in the house in Simeonstraße 8 (then Simeongasse 1040) in order to take care of family matters.[5]
Location of the house
The former home of Karl Marx in Simeonstraße 8 (then Simeongasse 1040) looks rather unremarkable at the beginning of Trier's shopping promenade close to the famous Porta Nigra. Only a few minutes walk leads visitors to the bronze statue of Karl Marx by Wu Weishan – a present from the People's Republic of China to Trier.
References
Longuet, Robert-Jean (1977). Karl Marx mein Urgroßvater. Berlin. p. 16.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Monz, Heinz (1964). Trier. p. 164. CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Baumeister, Jens (2017). Wie der Wein Karl Marx zum Kommunisten machte: Ein Kommunist als Streiter für die Moselwinzer. Trier. p. 32. ISBN ISBN 978-3000564710. CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Longuet, Robert-Jean (1977). Karl Marx mein Urgroßvater. Berlin. p. 52.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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